The Purple Knights, composed mostly of South Hadley High School players with others from Holyoke and Granby are the team to beat again in the Wright Division.

Even with one of their best players, forward Luke DiLisio, out with the flu, the Purple Knights were still able to roll out three solid lines. They took 55 shots on the Colts, who just don’t have the depth to compete with elite teams.

Holyoke has a solid defense as well. Tad Goff stood tall in goal and stopped all 10 shots to record the shutout.

There’s a certain swagger about these Knights and it’s because they’ve earned it. They got hot at the right time and won the inaugural Division IIIA state tournament last March by beating Oakmont at the MassMutual Center in Springfield.

“These guys were out doing dry land training two months before the season started,” coach John Houle said. “I didn’t need to say anything to them.”

It had been 30 years since Holyoke had won a Western Massachusetts title. Nearly everyone returned and some new additions have been exactly what the team needed.

“Everyone has stepped up,” Houle said.

Sophomore Chris Menard continues to have a hot hand. He scored two goals and one assist to give him nine points in his last two games.

“He’s been huge,” Houle said. “He’s someone who is always in position.”

Cody Miller had a hat trick and an assist, while Derek Pinciak added one goal and three assists.

One of Pinciak’s assists came when the puck caromed off his ankle and went in.